A Trenton insider gains some influence at home in Metuchen

METUCHEN -- Peter Cammarano, a longtime Trenton insider, took over as the mayor of his hometown this year, and he's already curious about the limits of his power.

An inveterate student of civics, he said that while he doesn't have a regular vote on council, he might have a line-item budget veto.

"I may actually try it," Cammarano said, "just to be the first to do it."

Cammarano believes in government, calling it a "noble profession." Now, the Trenton lobbyist and fixture in the state capital is the head of one, and he's already doing the most he can to figure out exactly how it works.

He's becoming mayor at a critical time for Metuchen. He's also one of the few people in New Jersey history to have served as a mayor while also being a lobbyist, giving him plenty of knowledge about the levers of power and also plenty of areas where he'll have to consider whether he needs to recuse himself.

Cammarano, a Democrat, has lived almost his entire life in Metuchen, save for his undergraduate studies at Rutgers University, an internship in Washington, D.C. and a few years living in Edison's Clara Barton neighborhood.

But despite his unimpeachable Brainy Borough bona fides, Cammarano is probably better known for his time in Trenton. For years, he served as chief of staff to state Sen. Richard Codey, including during Codey's stint as governor after the fall of Jim McGreevey.

When Codey's term ended, Cammarano became a partner in the Trenton lobbying firm Cammarano, Layton & Bombardieri, working primarily for healthcare, telecom and gambling interests.

His professional life, Cammarano says, will help him in his new role as mayor: He's got an extensive Rolodex of the types of officialdom that a small town like Metuchen needs on its side for fixing county roads, getting state aid or improving national railways.

His priorities are downtown development, pedestrian safety, and responsible growth. He wants NJ Transit to expand the train station; he wants to get truckers better notifications on Main Street so they don't keep hitting the Amtrak train overpass, an occurrence that many Metuchen residents think is funny the first five times it happens but annoying thereafter.

He's also looking to implement a "complete streets" program, which would involve pedestrian and biker safety, including bike lanes and, possibly, the reduction in the number of parking spots on some roads. And he's pushed for a downtown management organization, funded by an assessment on local businesses.

Asked about a Times Square-like pedestrian plaza where traffic is blocked off, the plainspoken Cammarano said: "Would I like to do that? Yeah. But it's not gonna happen."

Chiefs of staff and lobbyists have taken up a small but distinct slice of the American pop cultural imagination, as competent and ruthlessly efficient operators. The real-life Rahm Emanuel -- he of the partially amputated middle finger that rendered him "practically mute," in his former boss Barack Obama's phrase -- and steely-eyed Doug Stamper of the show House of Cards are portrayed as shrewd, lean-and-mean operators.

Cammarano, 51, is not cut from that central casting ("I'm still not known for the way I dress," he says -- that day, a quarter-zip fleece and a blue dress shirt). But despite his affable demeanor, he was never afraid to tell Codey, then the most powerful man in New Jersey, what he thought.

"He doesn't try to (BS) you," Codey told NJ Advance Media. "He'll tell you what he thinks. And that's what you want. You need somebody who you know always has your back."

Codey said he he recorded a robocall in Cammarano's race against Republican Daniel Lebar the November campaign to succeed two-term incumbent Tom Vahalla.

"Which probably lost him a few votes," Codey joked.

Cammarano also one time told Codey that he'd never run for office. And yet here he is, the public face of Metuchen, after previously serving as a councilman. He practically fell into direct political activity, taking a vacant Planning Board spot and then filling the rest of Vahalla's council term when Vahalla became mayor eight years ago. (Cammarano took a one-year break to watch his son play high school football.)

As mayor, Cammarano said he will remove himself from any discussion or decision that even remotely touches on his private work as a lobbyist.

Ben Dworkin, a Rider University political science professor and director of the Rebovich Center, said Cammarano would be no different than the owner of a hardware store who would recuse him or herself from nuts and bolts discussions.

"They all find a way to do and recuse themselves," Dworkin said.

Call around to thoughtful Trenton types to find a precedent for a lobbyist/mayor and you'll hear some people mention Ken Pringle, the former mayor of Belmar and an attorney.

Pringle said he believes his time as a registered lobbyist overlapped with his time as mayor, which ended in 2010.

"Mayors need to be lobbyists for their towns," Pringle said. "You're always advocating with your freeholders and legislators to change the law to benefit your community, to make sure your citizens get their share of grants and aid."

Pringle also happens to know Cammarano. His wife worked with Cammarano in the Senate majority office.

"I think he cares about good government," Pringle said.

(Though it is often said that Middlesex County is Hudson County with lawns, Cammarano is not related to Hoboken's Peter Cammarano, whose term as mayor was cut short by his arrest on corruption charges.)

Kevin McCabe, the Democratic chairman in Middlesex County, has known Cammarano for more than 20 years. They've both served as chiefs of staff.

"I served that role as well at one time, so one thing about Peter is he's very direct, very honest, very thoughtful and sincere," McCabe said. "He never goes over a decibel level, though. It stays the same. It is who Peter is. The word that comes to mind is, he's very genuine. And I'll tell you what he's extremely genuine about -- his love of Metuchen."

Cammarano lives just outside of downtown Metuchen on Route 27, the house he was born in and where he raised his two sons, who are off to college.

Things are a lot less crazy now, even with his broad portfolio, but his year as Governor Codey's chief of staff was as unexpected as it was demanding, with 18-hour days and crises around every corner, constantly communicating with other state officials.

One story that helps illustrate what life was like back then in Trenton actually took place in Metuchen, at a Halloween parade. Cammarano recalls watching his kids walk in the parade. Cammarano was accompanied by his security-detail state trooper.

His son was dressed in a costume that honored his father, a nod to what Pete Cammarano at that time spent a lot of his time and energy on.

Cammarano's son was dressed up as a cellphone.

"I want to be like Dad," his son explained.

The state trooper got a good laugh out of that one.

Cammarano is taking office at a time of tremendous change and uncertainty in Metuchen. A large parking deck just went up on Pearl Street with astonishing speed, a David Cooperfield elephant disappearing act in reverse -- now you don't see it, now you do. A Whole Foods supermarket will soon be built; more housing is coming on line; a lot across from Whole Foods is under consideration; new apartments went up near where Route 27 bends toward Edison.

Cammarano said he understands some of the apprehension from longtime borough residents.

"I've been here my whole life," Cammarano said. "I get it."

With its traffic alterations and limited parking, all of downtown Metuchen may as well have a "pardon our dust" warning right now. It's all happening at once, but Cammarano says Metuchen will be the better for it.

"I want to make this town work," Cammarano said, "and keep it with a small town feel."

Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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